Floodwaters Overcome Sandbags To Shut Down Peru’s Water Plant

PERU – Nemaha County Emergency Management organized a meeting at the Peru City Hall Saturday to address water issues after Missouri River flood waters inundated the city’s water plant.

Critser: “The water plant has been shut down, so that we do not compromise the water tower. We’re asking them to limit their usage, we can maintain that. We will also contact the state to see what we can do and how to get potable water trucks in to fill the tower or get more additional water out to the citizens.”

The levee protecting Peru, Neb., gave way in at least two spots Saturday, releasing floodwaters across thousands of acres of cropland and five city blocks just shy of Olive Street.

Kimberly Buchmeier of Auburn began Thursday preparing for a flood on a fourth-generation farm on the Peru bottoms, where her father has lived for 67 years.

Buchmeier: “We were standing at that bridge at 1:30 this afternoon and by 2:30 we were pushed back where you can see that state patrol officer standing.”

Nemaha County Emergency Management Director Renee Critser said the levees are being closely monitored and when they noticed the drainage ditches around Peru filling up fast, they knew something was amiss. A flash flood warning was issued.

Jason Hogue of Peru State College said students have not been evacuated from campus, but classes are closed on Monday and students have been encouraged to stay outside of the city, if they can.

Critser expects water bladders and bottled water to be available for Peru residents, but said state resources are being spread thin as communities throughout the state deal with similar issues.